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Kingdom Do's And Don'ts
Brian Mashburn
June 10, 2007
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Kingdom Do's And Don'ts
As I raise my children, oftentimes incompetently and with blind spots, but with much love, I find myself explaining to them that there are certain things that "Mashburns Don't Do." I'm not sure where I got this. My parents didn't use it, and while I'm sure other family's do, I can't think of any that I've heard of. But I'm giving it a shot in our home.
Mashburns don't lie.
Mashburns don't cheat.
Mashburns don't throw their brothers off the bunk-beds into the ceiling fans and excuse it by saying "he needed a haircut".
Of course, there are also things that I'd love to see "Mashburns do".
Mashburns love and imitate Christ.
Mashburns love all people.
Mashburns share their money, things, and lives.
Now, what it means to be a Mashburn can not be reduced to a simple list of "dos and don'ts", but that doesn't mean there aren't any of them.
In the same way, the Bible can not be reduced to a simple list of mere "dos and don'ts", but there sure are a bunch of them in there that give us specific, practical wisdom on how to live "like Kingdom citizens". Citizens of the Kingdom have things that they do, and things that they just don't do.
This summer, we are going to look at some letters written to the first generation of Christ followers...letters that contain "Kingdom Dos and Don'ts".
Paul told the Thessalonian followers that he was "urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory."
May God once again use Paul and others who wrote these letters, to do the same for you.